


Nightdust

by Burgie



Category: Star Stable
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-17
Updated: 2016-08-17
Packaged: 2018-08-09 08:18:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,403
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7794292
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Burgie/pseuds/Burgie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Louisa buys one of the Welsh ponies and discovers a few secrets.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Nightdust

Louisa returned to the Hermit’s hut after Sigrid had so callously dismissed the possibility of a horse having been stolen. Surely, the old man would at least be more concerned.

“Hey Hermit, what do you know about the wild horses being stolen?” she asked, dismounting Supernova.

“Eh… it happens far too often,” said the Hermit. “That herd used to number in the hundreds. But what am I to do about it? I am old and I have no powers, despite what Madison may lead you to believe. Once, the Ancient Tree protected them. But it’s dead now.”

“Well, we can’t just sit around and do nothing,” said Louisa. “The boat that took them was…”

“Dark Core, I know,” said the Hermit. “I am not affiliated with the druids, but I do know of their struggle. The ongoing war between good and evil that four or five young girls and their horses are caught up in every hundred years.”

“This must be where they get their Dark Horses from,” said Louisa. “But can’t you stop them?”

“No,” said the Hermit quite simply, and didn’t elaborate.

“And why not?” asked Louisa. “Those people are evil, they turn the horses into dark and wicked creatures through a painful transformation.”

“I know.”

“And don’t you want to save the horses from that?” asked Louisa, stepping closer to him. “If you care about them so much-“

“I made a promise to a friend, a long time ago,” said the Hermit. His hard eyes softened for a moment, and he was silent again. In the silence, a horse whinnied. “Ah, speaking of promises, I believe that I promised you a horse if you kept working for me. So go on. Chop chop.”

“I’ll be back,” Louisa vowed, getting back on her horse and heading for the cliffs.

And she was back, day after day, training her Morgan horse Carrotpromise on his tracks and giving the horses food or water. Until finally, one day, the Hermit spoke to her again.

“You can adopt one of these horses now. All of the funds go towards helping more horses,” said the Hermit. The horses had plaques in front of them now, bearing their price, breed, skills, and some information.

“Do you know anything about The Great Thunder?” asked Louisa, frowning at the plaque.

“Nobody really does,” said the Hermit. Louisa noticed that one of the horses was stepping over to her, the black pony. She rubbed his nose and, as she stared into those intelligent eyes, she recognised him.

“Nightdust? Is that you?” she asked the pony, and he nodded, seeming to smile at her.

 _“Hello again, Soul Rider,”_ he said in her mind. With the bond formed, Louisa knew that she had to buy this horse.

After handing the money over to the Hermit, she rode away on her new pony while Carrotpromise trotted alongside her.

“So is your name really Nightdust?” asked Louisa. 

_“No. But I liked the name so I kept it.”_

“And can you really grant wishes?”

Nightdust laughed in her mind. He really did sound royal, she noted. _“No. Yggdrasil could, that great tree that once lived here. But it is dead now. I am, however, the King of the horses.”_

“And here I am, riding the King of the horses,” said Louisa. “I’ll take you to see Madison, she’ll be thrilled to see you again.”

 _“She is a sweet little girl, that one,”_ said Nightdust. Carrotpromise didn’t seem overly concerned at being ignored, content to simply nibble at the grass every so often.

“Yeah, she is,” said Louisa, smiling at the thought of the sweet child. “Come on, if we’re lucky we can catch her when she’s not supposed to be doing homework or chores.”

Nightdust easily melted into a gallop, though Louisa could feel his yearning to go faster. Something kept flicking at her legs, too, almost like…

“You can’t really fly to the moon, can you?” asked Louisa. Nightdust snorted, and she felt his humour.

 _“I do not like to show them around other people,”_ said Nightdust. _“But if Madison is a good little girl, maybe one night she will be visited by a special horse who will grant her wish of flying to the moon. Not to the actual moon, of course, but up in the sky.”_

“With adult supervision, of course,” said Louisa. “Either me or the Hermit.”

 _“The Hermit is far more knowledgable about magic than anyone else on this island. Present company excluded, of course,”_ said Nightdust. _“He has a secret, but he will not tell it to you. That barge did not just come here to take one of my herd.”_

“Everyone on Jorvik is just full of secrets,” said Louisa. “If I try to jump you over this fence, will you break my legs?”

 _“I will try not to.”_ True to his word, Nightdust streamlined his body to jump over the small stone fence and then cantered into the farmyard where a little girl was waiting for them.

“Hey, Louisa, you’re back!” Madison cried, pausing her GEMO and running over to the two. “Ooh, who’s this?”

“It’s Nightdust,” said Louisa, petting his mane. “The King of the horses.”

“Wow, and he let you ride him? Amazing!” said Madison. “Can I pet him?”

“Yes,” said Louisa, dismounting. “Just pet him gently like I showed you before.”

“Okay.” Madison gently petted Nightdust’s nose, and the pony stood there calmly. “Wow, I can’t believe we’re meeting again! Can you see me smiling right now?” Louisa giggled at the little girl’s enthusiasm. “Oh, I have just the thing for him! Wait right here, please.”

Louisa stood with Nightdust, holding onto his bridle. It was the one that Goldmist had been equipped with when she’d first met him. Since then, it had mostly stayed in her stable wardrobe, though she always cared for the old piece of tack. And all of the old tack, really. She just liked to take care of her things.

After a while, Madison came running back with a saddle.

“Did you pay for that?” asked Louisa, wincing as Madison placed it quite heavily on Nightdust’s back. He shifted uncomfortably, though he calmed when Louisa walked around and began to put it on properly.

“Nah, but grandpa won’t mind since it’s me that took it,” said Madison. “Think of it as a gift.”

“Okay,” said Louisa, but she made a mental note to leave them some money later.

“So can I ride him?” asked Madison. “Please, Louisa? I know last time didn’t end so well, but you’re here now and he’s got a saddle on.”

“Hmm.” Louisa hummed thoughtfully, then smiled. “Okay. Hop on and I’ll lead you around.”

“Yay!” Madison squealed with excitement as Louisa lifted her up and into the saddle, and then she giggled and grabbed onto his reins. Nightdust seemed nervous, but Louisa calmed him again with a few more pets of his neck.

After showing Madison how to sit in the saddle properly and telling her to hold onto Nightdust if she felt like she was going to fall, Louisa led her new pony around the farmyard.

“Can’t we go faster?” asked Madison.

“Hey, I can’t run very fast,” said Louisa. “But okay, I’ll try.” She picked up her pace, jogging now as Nightdust sped up a little.

“Woah!” Madison squeaked, and grabbed onto his mane. Louisa winced, imagining the feel of tiny fingers pulling at her hair. At least they weren’t sticky.

At that pace, Louisa began to tire quite quickly, so she eventually came to a stop, much to the displeasure of Madison.

“Aww, can’t we go for a bit longer? Please?” asked Madison.

“Sorry sweetie, but I’m done for the day,” said Louisa, panting. “Maybe next time.”

“Aww. Okay,” said Madison, pouting but then brightening at the promise of there being a next time.

After returning Madison to the farmyard and promising to see her again soon, Louisa put some star coins in the Honesty Box beside the tack shop and rode back across the windy stretch of land towards home. Nightdust seemed quite content now, galloping along happily. His new saddle fit him quite fine, and it looked good on him too. Along the way, they encountered the wild herd and rode with them for a while, Nightdust calling to his former herd and introducing them to his rider. Louisa smiled and laughed at the various faces nuzzling her legs.


End file.
